Combination hinge and latch for playpens



y 1952 w. A. HILDRETH 2,597,639

- COMBINATION HINGE AND LATCH FOR PLAYPENS Filed March 9, 1950 IN VEN TOR. WILLIAM A. HILDRB'I'H Pgnww Patented May 20, 1952 COMBINATION HINGE AND .LATCH FOR BLAYPENS William AJHildreth, Antrim; N. H.', assignor. to "William H. Hurlin, Antrim,"N.a;H.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a.combination hinge and "lock 'and' pertains "more particularly to a hinge, the swinging components of which are adapted for unidirectional :relative swinging movement; and locking means whereby said swinging movement may be prevented.

'One'object of the 'present'invention is to provide-means whereby hingedly connected rigid members maybe locked'rigid when so desired.

Anotherobject'ofthepresent "invention is to provide lockable 'hinging means for rigid. members of collapsible constructions, such 'as childrens playpens,which whenlocked will positively-maintaln said-members rigidly comiecte'd until manuallyreleased.

Another object of thepresent inventiomtherefore, is to provide "with hinging means having lockingmeans, other'meanswhereby said locking means may be detentediinan operative or inoperative position.

' Still another objeciro'f the present invention is to provide a lockable hingearrangement which is both-easily andeconomically manufactured.

For further comprehension of"'the invention, and of the'objects and advantages thereof, reference will be hadtothe'following description and accompanying drawings; and to "the "appended claims in which the various novel=featuresof :the invention'are more particularly set forth.

I Fig. 1 is 'a'fragmentary isometricview illustrating the'presentinvention'applied to a childs playpen.

Fig. '2 is aplan view'of the present invention illustrating the relative dispositions of the several components.

FigpB'isa front elevational view showing the pivotal connection between the hinge members.

"Fig. "4 is a side elevational view showing 'the pendentp0rtion formed ofi "thef'bell crank or latch member.

" Fig. i5is an'isometric view of the present invention illustrating the same efiectively maintainingfragmentarily shownrigidmembers.positively connected.

Fig. 61is an isometric view of the present invention after the lockingmeanshasfbeen released to' permit-relative swingingmovement' of the'hinge members.

Fig. '7 is a plan view showing the extent of swinging movement of the'hinge members.

Fig. 8 is 'an isometric view showing a second embodiment of 'the present invention. 'Fig. Q'is'an' isometric view of the first .hinge member of 1311818800116. embodiment and illustrates the "edge'notches provided therein.

Fig. 10 is'aside elevational view of the latch member employed in the embodiment'o'f "Fig. 8. 'With reference to Fig. 1, it will be seenthat the present :invention is particularly applicable to childrens play pens for maintaining rigidly connected, when so .desired, 'the side members I 0 and H which with .the other side components-are adapted .to' swing inwardly :and' thus permit the collapsing ofsaid pens to facilitate storage thereof.

As seenin Figs. 2, 3 and 413.150,?th6p18f6118d embodiment of the invention includes a first hinge member I2.and a second hinge member l3, both of which are .of L-shaped cross sections toprovide top and side portions. Formed off-the side portions ofiboth of said hinge members are top and bottom ear portions l4 and !5 respectively. In order'to provide relativeswinging movement between saidfirst and second hinge members, a pivot pin I6 is provided to pivotally connect same at said top and bottom ear portions. Related limiting portions 11 formed at the top portions of said .hingeamembersslimit the relative swinging movement of .said members to one direction, namely. inward.

Pivotally mounted, asatlli. on the topportion of the firsthinge member l2, isabell crank or latch member 2| having a first .arm.22. thereof substantially coextensivenwithwsaid first hinge member-and-includinga laterally extending open slot'.23.- A- second-"bellprankarm -24, formed at substantially right. angles-t0 the first, extends slightly beyond .the side portion-of the hinge member I2and isprovided :with-a pendent portion -25. Said-pendent portion 25 is manipulable to position 'the said first arm cop'eratively -or .inoperatively.

. iFixedly :carried on .the top portion of the said secondhinge member 13 isan engaging .pin .26, the purpose ofwhich will --.be E described. :hereinafter. :By;ime'anszof countersunk holes :21; said hinge "members may :be securely :fitted to the hereinbefore mentioned 'play pen side members MT'and-l'l.

with'the hingemembers attached to the pen side members, and said-members inan unfolded or-extended condition, as seen inFig. 5, the limiting portions "I'l on'saidhinge members willbecom'eengaged'to thereby limit the swinging movement of said "hinge members, andtherefore, of said "side members. ""Whenthe'hinge members are in the condition 'just described,7the.engagingpin. 26 in the second hinge member [3 is positioned to associate with 3 the mentioned open slot 23 in the arm 22 of the operatively positioned bell crank 2|.

Now the arrangement of the axes of the pivot pin [5, the pivot 20, and the engaging pin 26, are such that when the said engaging pin 26 is in association with the slot 23, in the manner hereinabove described, said bell crank or latch member will prevent any relative swinging movement between said hinge members l2 and I3. Thusly, said pen side members and II will be maintained or locked rigidly connected.

However, when it is desired that said pen sides be swung inwardly to thereby collapse the construction, said pendent portion 25 of the bell crank 2| is pressed sidewardly to thereby rotate said bell crank in the direction of arrow 28 in Fig. 5. This operation disassociates said slot 23 and engaging pin 26 (Fig. 6), to thereby permit said hinge members l2 and I3 and the pen side members [0 and II, to swing relative to each other to thereby assume substantially parallel positions (Fig. 7).

A second embodiment of the invention, as seen in Fig. 8, provides means whereby the latching member may be retained in either the operative or inoperative positions thereof, to assure the effectiveness of said latch when in its operative position, and to prevent said latch from proving hindersome when in its inoperative position, and folding of the play pen takes place.

Said second embodiment is similar to the above described first embodiment in that it, too, includes first and second hinge members l2 and I3 respectively, top and bottom ear portions I4 and I5 respectively, a pivot pin 16 pivotally connecting said hinge members at said ear portions, limit portions I1 and an engaging pin 26. However, unlike said first embodiment, the present arrangement includes first and second notches 30 and 3|, respectively, in the edge between the top and side portions of the aforementioned first hinge members l2 (Fig. 9). As seen in Figs. 8 and 10, the latch member 32 of the present embodiment, like that of the first, is pivotally mounted as at 20, to the first hinge member l2 and includes a first arm 22 having a laterally extending open slot 23, a second arm 24 extending at substantially right angles to said first arm, and a pendent portion 25 formed off the mentioned second arm 24. However, cut from the second arm 24 and the pendent portion 25 of the present latch member there is a finger 33, which finger is resilient in consequence of the inherent resilience of the material from which the latch member 32 is formed. The finger 33 has its free rounded end portion bent to extend at right angles to the pendent portion 25.

The present arrangement is such that when the latch member 32 is operatively positioned, as seen in Fig. 8, for maintaining the play pen side members [0 and I l rigidly connected, in the manner described above with regard to the first embodiment, the free rounded end of the resilient finger 33 will be seated in the notch 3| in the first hinge member I2. Thusly, the latch member 32 will be maintained in its operative position until manually released.

When it is desired that the play pen be collapsed, pressing the pendent portion 25 sidewardly will cause the latch member 32 to rotate in the direction of arrow 28, to disassociate the open slot 23 with the engaging pin 26 and to simultaneously seat the free rounded end of the finger 33 in the notch 30. In this manner, said latch member 32 will be maintained in its inoperative position and will not tend to swing into operative position to thereby prove hindersome to the collapsing of said pen. The roundness of the free end of the finger 32 functions as a cam to lift the free end out of the notch 30 or 3! when the latch member 32 is moved in one direction or the other.

With the hereinabove described invention employed at both sides of a child's play pen, said pen may be maintained erected against a child's tugging, which may ordinarily cause the side members to fold inwardly, and said pen may be easily collapsed for storage, when desired.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A combination hinge and lock for childrens play pens comprising a pair of hinge members, each hinge member having a top portion and a side portion, a pair of cars bent ofi the side por tion of each of said hinge members, a pivotal connection between said hinge members at said ears, related limiting portions formed at said top portions and engageable for limiting pivoting of said hinge members in one direction, a pin carried on the top portion of one of said hinge members; a bell crank pivotally carried on the top portion of the other of said hinge members, said bell crank having an open pin engaging slot in one arm thereof, a laterally extending arm, and a pendent portion formed off said laterally extending arm; said bell crank being engageable with said pin when the limiting portions of said hinge members are engaged to thereby prevent relative swinging movement in the other direction; and said pendent portion being manipulable to disengage said pin to permit pivoting of said hinge members in the other direction in which said limiting portions move apart.

2. A combination hinge and lock for children's play pens comprising a pair of hinge members, each hinge member having a top portion and a side portion, a pair of spaced hinge ears bent off the side portion of each of said hinge members, a pivotal connection between said hinge members at said ears, related limiting portions formed at said top portion and engageable for limiting pivoting of said hinge members in one direction, a pin fixedly carried on th top portion of one of said hinge members, a pair of notches cut from the edge between the top and side portions of the other of said hinge member; a bell crank pivotally carried on the top portion of said other hinge member, said bell crank having an open pin engaging slot in one arm thereof, a laterally extending second arm, a pendent portion formed ofi? said laterally extending arm, and an inwardly projecting resilient finger cut from said second arm and said pendent portion; said bell crank being engageable with said pin when the limiting portions of said hinge members are engaged to thereby prevent relative swinging movement in the other direction; said pendent portion being manipulable to disengage said bell crank from said pin to permit pivoting of said hinge members in the other direction in which said limiting portions move apart, said finger being seated in one of said notches when said r 5 6 bell crank is engaged with said pin and in the Number Name Date other of said notches when said bell crank is dis- 1,226,324 Gage May 15, 1917 engaged from said pin. 1,248,854 Henderson Dec. 4, 1917 WILLIAM A. HILDRETH. 1,265,412 Wray May 7, 1918 5 1,479,628 Seger Jan. 1, 1924 REFERENCES CITED 1,701,670 Feldman Feb. 12, 1929 The following references are of record in the 2,064,839 n a1 22, 1936 file of t t t: 2,441,318 Harblson May 11, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1o FOREIGN PATENTS Number Name Date Number un ry Date 574,397 Coulter et a1 Jan, 5, 1897 753,913 France NOV. 7, 1933 

